Accelerate synthesis in ecology and environmental sciences

  • Stephen R. Carpenter
  • , E. Virginia Armbrust
  • , Peter W. Arzberger
  • , F. Stuart Chapín
  • , James J. Elser
  • , Edward J. Hackett
  • , Anthony R. Ives
  • , Peter M. Kareiva
  • , Mathew A. Leibold
  • , Per Lundberg
  • , Marc Mangel
  • , Nirav Merchant
  • , William W. Murdoch
  • , Margaret A. Palmer
  • , Debra P.C. Peters
  • , Steward T.A. Pickett
  • , Kathleen K. Smith
  • , Diana H. Wall
  • , Ann S. Zimmerman

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

136 Scopus citations

Abstract

Ecology is a leading discipline in the synthesis of diverse knowledge. Ecologists have had considerable experience in bringing together diverse, multinational data sets, disciplines, and cultural perspectives to address a wide range of issues in basic and applied science. Now is the time to build on this foundation and invest in ecological synthesis through new national or international programs. While synthesis takes place through many mechanisms, including individual efforts, working groups, and research networks, centers are extraordinarily effective institutional settings for advancing synthesis projects.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)699-701
Number of pages3
JournalBioScience
Volume59
Issue number8
DOIs
StatePublished - Sep 2009

Funding

We thank the National Science Foundation for support of the workshop that led to this article, and Marilyn Larsen for superb assistance on every aspect of the project. The Center for Limnology at the University of Wisconsin–Madison provided administrative support.

    Keywords

    • Centers
    • Ecology
    • Environmental sciences
    • Knowledge integration
    • Synthesis

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